661.6431/10–3145: Telegram
The Representative in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 31—4:40 p.m.]
840. I spoke to Foreign Minister today in sense of urtel 590, Oct 26, leaving memorandum52 in confirmation regarding Hungarian-Soviet economic collaboration agreement and US Hungary Treaty signed June 1925. Gyöngyösi said there had been no recent developments regarding ratification of collaboration agreement. There was some discussion here as to constitutional authority of political committee to ratify international agreements at all; it being contended that this is prerogative of National Assembly to convene following election. Meanwhile, I gathered Russians had not recently pressed for immediate ratification as they had done previously. Foreign Minister said he felt any differences between the Allies in such matters as reflected [Page 901] in our recent representations at Moscow should be settled among the Allies but he welcomed today’s exposition of our standpoint as in accord with Hungary’s own desire to enlist interest of all the Allies in rehabilitation of this country. In fact, Soviet proposal of collaboration agreement last summer had been outgrowth of tentative plan on behalf of Hungary worked out in preparation for peace settlement and contemplating Soviet and other Allied collaboration in economic matters. Soviet proposal when submitted to Hungarians with demand for yes or no answer had surprised them because of its far reaching and unilateral character. When I explained that our policy was based on hope of effective inter-Allied cooperation and that differences Gyöngyösi mentioned were as we hoped merely part of process of reaching agreement on principles and procedures involved, he said our latest representation would afford backing for Hungarian policy as envisaged from the beginning.
Sent Dept; rptd to London as 50 and Moscow as 99.
- Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 479, October 31, from Budapest; neither printed.↩